The European Union's Integrated Maritime Policy:
taking the plunge together

BioMarine ConferenceMarseille, 24 October
2008

Mr Chairman, Hon. Ministers,

Monsieur Secrétaire de la Mer,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

A word of praise, first of all, to the team behind BioMarine and to the
French Presidency for organising and supporting this major maritime event. The
comprehensive agenda of this conference enabled a discussion on a vast range of
maritime affairs and demonstrated the great potential for generating synergies
through cross-sectoral interaction and cooperation among all of us, players of
Maritime Europe.

The success of Biomarine and the attention it has generated is really
encouraging, especially when seen through the lens of the European Union's
Integrated Maritime Policy. In fact, until just a few years ago, conferences on
maritime affairs were, as a rule, sectoral events – conferences on ports,
shipping or fisheries, for example. In this sense, the Integrated Maritime
Policy has been a catalyst of change. It has undoubtedly generated a Europe-wide
debate looking at and addressing maritime related sectors in a comprehensive
manner. Biomarine is a case in point. It has been a symbiotic relationship, as
the Integrated Maritime Policy has both fed into and has been influenced and
shaped by these debates. In this sense, I think it is fair to say that this new
European policy is the result of a genuine bottom up approach.

It is so because we give a lot of weight to what you have to say. The
discussions held here throughout this week have provided us with much food for
thought, in view of building upon the Blue Paper on the Integrated Maritime
Policy, adopted by the European Commission in October of last year.

One year on from the adoption of the Blue Paper, (which was followed by the
subsequent endorsement by the European Council and the European Parliament), I
believe we are turning a new page. In the absence of an overall and
comprehensive European approach to maritime affairs, we used to limit ourselves
to developing ad hoc, sectoral, and sometimes contradictory maritime
policies. This conference itself is a demonstration that we have come a long way
in establishing a coherent overall approach to maritime affairs. Building is in
progress, but we have designed a long term, strategic vision for Europe's oceans
and seas, which will allow us to untap their real positive potential.

What instigated this whole process? Simple: there are currently many uses of
the sea and their adjacent coastal areas in Europe, such as maritime transport,
offshore energy, fisheries and new forms of aquaculture, tourism and marine
protected areas. Some of these sectors have developed fast, due to new
technologies and the piece-meal resolution of challenges. However, we have
observed and ascertained that such proliferation of sea-uses would have
unavoidably brought about with them conflicting uses, ultimately leading to the
deterioration of the marine environment. Only a full picture of all the uses of
the sea and of all their cumulative impacts could change this course of events.

Therefore, the Blue Paper represents not only a drastic change on the way we
have started looking at maritime issues, it has also started a change at the way
we look at ourselves, as a continent and as Europeans that possess and share a
coastline far more vast than that of the United Sates, Russia or even the whole
of the African landmass. In fact, thanks to the Blue Paper, we have managed to
call upon the attention of Europe's decision-makers, at all levels of power
– be they European, national or regional - to the geopolitical and
economic weight of Maritime Europe.

The adoption of the Blue Paper and its accompanying Action Plan was just a
decision – albeit a very important one – within the context of a
dynamic process. It was not, by any means, the end of the task of establishing
the new maritime policy. It was just the beginning. Since then, we have been
steering maritime affairs by implementing the Action Plan, while at the same
time developing partnerships and generating a real momentum in all maritime
related public policies.

By way of example: we have further promoted marine research by laying a new
strategy for marine and maritime sciences and technologies. As a matter of fact,
so far, there has been more funding from the 7th Framework Programme
for Research and Technology for marine research than ever before. On another
front, the Commission will also soon be adopting an Arctic Strategy, which seeks
to articulate a European policy for this region of ever-increasing challenges
and opportunities. We have also launched a study on the effects of climate
change in coastal areas and we aim to influence decision-makers as regards the
development of Europe's climate change policy. We have looked into the
challenges of maritime transport, pushed for the motorways of the sea and we
support new ideas such as the Common Maritime Transport Space without barriers.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Marine and maritime research strategy as well as offshore energy form part of
this "blue revolution". They are also central to Biomarine, especially because
of the innovation, and the scientific and technological factors involved.

The recently adopted European marine and maritime research strategy seeks to
emulate our ideas on integrated maritime governance within the marine and
maritime scientific research communities. Science and technology are fundamental
to securing sustainable economic growth in sea-based activities that can be
reconciled with environmental conservation. In the open global market, the
competitiveness of advanced economies stems from their capacity to create high
value-added, knowledge-based goods and services. Here lies the importance of
this strategy which proposes concrete measures to improve the efficiency and
excellence of marine and maritime research.

One important conclusion is that a merely sectoral and thematic approach to
research does not suffice any longer. EU research can play a role in fostering
joint efforts between the marine and maritime research communities, which extend
beyond specific scientific sectors. A more effective integration and pooling of
knowledge and resources, along with a meaningful long-term partnership among all
stakeholders – scientists, policy-makers, industry and civil society
– will form the basis for a concerted definition of research needs and
priorities. This, in turn, will result in concrete research projects.

Offshore energy is another example of an emerging innovation-led maritime
related industry. Renewable energy is exactly the kind of forward-looking,
environmentally sound area that the Integrated Maritime Policy is seeking to
promote. Offshore renewable energy, in particular, can help provide answers to
Europe's energy challenge. Within this context, the Strategic Energy Technology
Plan (SET Plan) adopted by the Commission last year declared large wind offshore
parks as a necessity for Europe in order to achieve the 20% target of renewable
energy by 2020. And a recent report by the French Research Institute for the
Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER) found that offshore renewable energy could
contribute to almost 40% of that target for renewable energy by 2020.

The European Union is at the forefront of the use of renewable energies and
continues to support their technological development. Later on this year,
Commissioner Piebalgs is planning to present a Communication on offshore wind
energy, wherein the development of adequate maritime spatial planning and the
building of an under-water grid will be identified as primary challenges for
this young and innovative industry. Furthermore, Europe is home to the world's
first commercial project to generate energy from the oceans – the Pelamis
wave park in Portugal – and has witnessed developments in tidal power off
the coasts of Brittany, England and Scotland.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Potential is all well and good. But it needs to be converted into practical
action. This is what the Commission is seeking to accomplish. I would like to
highlight a few recent examples to illustrate how our integrated approach is
being put into practice.

First, there is our work to establish an integrated maritime governance
system. Here, we need structure, not stricture. Structure provides us with a
good springboard from where to reach our goals. This is why we have opted for an
integrated governance system.

The seas know no borders and we all share the responsibility for their
future. Be it climate change, pollution, safety of navigation or security
– none of these issues can possibly be handled by a region, a country or
an EU institution alone. This is why we would like to see the same kind of
commitment take shape across the European Union. In seeking the right answers
for a sustainable future for the oceans and seas, all layers of government, from
the smallest coastal community to the EU institutions, need to work together,
and bring scientists, business partners and civil organisations on board.

My message is simple: the success of the Integrated Maritime Policy will
depend on the degree to which the integrated thinking at the heart of this
policy permeates into policy-making within and among Member States.

This is why last June the Commission adopted a Communication containing
"Guidelines for an Integrated Approach to Maritime Policy". The idea behind
these guidelines is to encourage Member States to join us in working towards a
new culture of overarching maritime governance.

This does not mean we should all adopt the same model of maritime governance.
We are of the view that Member States should chart their own course. However, we
believe that a holistic approach to maritime policy can only be effective if it
thrives on national drivers and is organised in accordance with domestic
traditions. Some Member States have already taken a strong lead in this
direction. On its part, France has already established its own approach by
coordinating maritime policy through its Secretariat de la Mer.

The Commission's guidelines on integrated maritime governance also advocate
strong involvement on the part of our islands, coastal regions and stakeholders.
The people who can make the difference are those who put out to sea every day,
who spend their days and nights working at sea, or who invest all their efforts
in developing cleaner and better maritime technologies, structures and
infrastructures. We will continue encouraging Member States to do their part in
what is, essentially, a win-win situation for all parties involved.

Maritime surveillance is another area in which we are striving for more added
value through better integration. The current European scenario is one of
fragmentation. Maritime surveillance activities are many and varied: they
include the fight against the illegal trafficking of people, drugs and arms, the
fight against illegal fisheries, pollution, piracy and terrorism. Although
increasingly sophisticated, vessel monitoring systems (VMS) tend to monitor just
one port or one stretch of coastline, or focus on just one maritime activity.
At the moment, each of these sectors – fisheries, maritime safety, law
enforcement, border control – is subject to its own control system. We
need to strive for the full interoperability of these systems. There are strong
indications that policing our waters could be done more effectively if maritime
surveillance systems were made interoperable across sectors and borders.
Cooperation can actually improve surveillance by implementing more actions with
fewer means.

The Commission has recently presented a non-paper on Maritime surveillance to
the high Level Focal Points for Maritime Policy with the aim of assisting the
French EU Presidency carry out its mandate in relation to this critical area of
Europe's safety and security. Next year, we will be adopting a Communication on
maritime surveillance with the aim of identifying added value possibilities for
Member States, in what is a strategically important area for Europe's overall
safety and security.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The initiatives I have referred to are aimed at ensuring that we keep apace
with the high interest generated around maritime affairs throughout Europe and
the world at large. Your commitment in Biomarine to join us in promoting an
integrated approach within Europe, covering all sectors and activities relating
to the seas, oceans and coasts, certainly reinforces our joint European vision
for the sustainable use of the oceans and seas.

This event has provided us with a perfect opportunity to interact further.
The challenge for us now is to further the momentum. I look forward to seeing
the measures and approaches I have referred to today act as vehicles for
effective change under the French EU Presidency. I also hope that the progress
we have made with Biomarine will win us support for consolidating the maritime
agenda at the European Council at the end of this year.

The academic Joel A. Barker said that "Vision with action can change the
world". I believe we are consistently moving ahead one step at a time. It takes
courage to take the plunge. I strongly believe that moving ahead in implementing
a truly effective integrated maritime policy is a plunge worth taking.